antenatal screening programme

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Hepatitis C (pregnancy)

Hepatitis C is a virus which infects the liver. If a mother is infected with hepatitis C during pregnancy, there is a risk that her baby may catch it from her. Most children infected with this virus will develop chronic infection. Some will then present with liver damage later in life. Other ways of catching the virus include tattooing, body piercing or intravenous drug abuse.

Read more about hepatitis C on the NHS website.

UK NSC screening recommendation Based on the last UK NSC review of this condition that occurred in October 2018.

Screening is not currently recommended for this condition.

Screening is not recommended in pregnant women. This is because it is not known:

  • how many pregnant women in the UK have hepatitis C
  • why some mothers pass the virus to their child and others don't
  • how accurate screening tests are for hepatitis C in pregnant women
  • how effective treatments for hepatitis C would be for pregnant women and their children
  • if treatments would prevent unborn babies from catching hepatitis from their mother

Supporting documents from the 2018 review

Evidence summary Hepatitis C in pregnancy (2018)
This document provides the evidence on which the current UK NSC recommendation is based.

UK NSC coversheet & consultation responses Hepatitis C in pregnancy (2018)
This document summarises the review process including the public consultation comments.

Review cycle

Date previous review completed: 2018

Next review estimated to be completed: 2021 to 2022.

To see previous evidence reviews, visit the UK NSC archive.

Organisations interested in Hepatitis C (pregnancy)

These organisations have expressed interest in this recommendation and may submit responses to evidence reviews.

List of organisations

If you think your organisation should be added, please contact us.